British Athletic Board Will Allow Budd to Run Despite Threatened Boycott

British track officials Tuesday, ignoring warnings of a widespread international boycott, refused to keep South African-born runner Zola Budd from competing in next week’s world cross-country championships in New Zealand.

The British Amateur Athletic Board said it had considered a request from the sport’s governing body to leave Budd off the team for the March 26 event in Auckland, New Zealand, but had concluded she was entitled to take part.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation questioned Budd’s eligibility after allegations that she was involved in at least one meet last June in South Africa, which is ostracized by international sports organizations for its racial segregation policies.

Fearing boycotts of upcoming meets and the Summer Olympics, the IAAF asked the British athletic board Monday to scratch Budd from the cross-country championships while it investigated her case.

But in a statement, British athletic board officials said Budd had not violated any rules and that it was not prepared to take the responsibility of leaving her out.